Misgiving, mistreating
by Darkyu
Summary: The first page of the Daily Bugle's photograph spoke for itself. They always knew that it was a matter of time before Steve Rogers fucked up. It was a good thing that Rhodey was there, fully armed, to make sure Rogers got what he deserved. Or: the one where Steve cheats on Tony and Rhodey is ready to kill him. Steve Rogers/Tony Stark Part2 of "Not So Normal Friends After All".


**I've finally got to write this part! As you may know, this is part of a series that I failed to write regularly because the job got in the way, but you don't need to read the first part for this to make any sense.**

**As always, It doesn't have a beta so it probably has a lot of spelling and grammatical mistakes. If you found some, I'd be eternally grateful if you point them to me.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Whoever Thought That Tony Stark Was Friendless Is Sorely Mistaken.**

**Misgiving, mistreating**

Every morning was a routine; he'd wake up with the sun, turn on the coffee machine and go take a warm, quick shower. He would then put his perfectly ironed uniform on if he had to go to base or simple clothing on a rare-free day, just like that morning. He'd go to his freshly brewed coffee and he would make and eat breakfast while reading the newspaper.

For James Rhodes it wasn't unusual to see Tony's face doing crazy things in the front page of numerous magazines or newspapers. It was even normal, considering his involvement with Stark Industries, the World's Mightiest Heroes and all that fancy stuff Tony seemed to attract.

When Rhodey first met Tony, he was pretty much scandalized about the flow of published words that described in detail a particularly shocking photo, but as he got to know him and to actually _be present_ when all the craziness took place, the Colonel understood easily enough that the press either lied, or at least exaggerated what actually took place in such a way that, even after all those years, it didn't cease to amaze him.

That was probably why when he saw the title on the first page of a neatly folded Daily Bugle, he thought nothing much of it, but an easy _"I wish!"_It read:

"_**Captain America's fling with Iron Man comes to a dreadful end!**_

_Captain America, icon to us all and leader of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes, turned down billionaire Tony Stark for an unknown waitress! Does the genius know of this? "_

The natural response for reading something as ridiculous as that – much to Rhodey's chagrin – was to chuckle at the paper's imagination. That was, of course, until he fully unfolded the newspaper and found a very clear, very undeniable picture of Steve Rogers kissing a pretty hot blonde woman, whose identity wasn't clear from the way Rogers' face blocked her from view; she had her hands around the icon's neck and the super soldier's were in a hold, that could only be describe as _gentle_, on her shoulders, as if his hands were caught in motion and were intended to surround her with his arms.

Being things as they were, Rhodey spit his mouthful of coffee all over his bacon.

It wasn't long before murderous thoughts crawled from a dark corner of his imagination to the surface of his mind. Flawless plans of retribution were playing in vivid motion in his head.

When it came to Tony, he wasn't the perfect soldier everyone expected him to be. Tony, Pepper and Happy were all he had left and he was willing to leave behind stoic professionalism and welcome raw emotion if it meant Tony would be safe and sound in consequence; even if that emotion entitled him to knock some sense in the genius' hard skull.

His dislike for Rogers, though, didn't automatically make him a cheating rat, and Tony would be annoying as hell – yes, _more_ annoying – if War Machine showed up and killed his boyfriend because of mediocre paparazzi work. He took a deep breath and chuckled at the article again. The probability of it being true and he not knowing it by now was really slim. If it weren't Tony calling him – which admittedly wasn't all that common – then it would be Pepper letting him know of his role in the national icon's demise while she was effectively tying up the last loose ends on the Judgment Day that would be about to fall upon Rogers.

That woman can be scary as all hell when she wanted to be.

Since there were none howling of the damned in the horizon or fire alarms all over New York, Rhodey came to the conclusion that the article represented the Paparazzi being desperate for something to write since the last alien invasion or great robbery that would sell and a big lawsuit coming their way on behalf of a very pissed off Tony Stark.

The morning routine came back to its normal path and Rhodes effortlessly resumed it; he finished his coffee-tainted breakfast and proceeded to go watch TV, being careful to avoid the news because even he had to admit that Rogers didn't deserve the fake gossip.

It was turning out to be a beautiful, tranquil day in his luxurious bachelor's flat when his doorbell rang.

With a grunt, he silently wondered who could it be at nine o'clock in the morning and was shocked to find no other than Tony Stark on the other side of the door.

"Tony!" he said surprised while making room for his best friend to get into the apartment. Before he could ask, the dark haired genius stomped his way in while rambling like a champ.

"Before you ask why I'm here; I just don't want to stay in the Tower right now and I can't go back to the Malibu mansion because I have an important and boring meeting this morning and Pepper would fucking skin me alive if I don't show up in time." Again, Rhodey was about to comment on the billionaire's babbling when Tony asked, "Do you have coffee?" and without waiting for an answer, he went into the kitchen in search for his equivalent of a Holly Grail.

Without much of an option, the Colonel followed his friend and refilled his cup with the last of the beverage when Tony finally relent his hold on the pot with a clear sign that he expected more coffee to appear within the promptly future.

Far from giving up at the face Tony's antics, Rhodes sighed and reached in the cupboard where he kept the coffee beans and started to brew some more.

"You look like a hobo." He stated taking in the genius appearance. He was dirty, smelly and looked out of place sitting in his spotless kitchen table. "Or a mental creature, take your pick."

When Tony didn't answer with any sarcastic come back and just pulled his cup of coffee closer to him, Rhodey frowned. "What happened?" he said in a voice that was more of a command than a question. He took a sip of his old coffee and took a sit directly in front of his friend, so would have to look at him at some point.

Suddenly, Tony looked angry.

"You know what happened;" he scoffed looking at his eyes with an expression that Rhodey couldn't define, "You always read the paper first thing in the morning."

Rhodey stopped all movement.

It _**couldn't**_ be.

"Are we talking about the article that says that your… Steve" he finished lamely "is cheating on you with what the media seemed to think as a waitress?"

"No, Rhodey, we are talking about the sport section where my cricket team lost big time against the weather." Tony replied with a tone that screamed sarcasm. "Yes! We are fucking talking about that article!"

Even if everything screamed to Rhodey to go and hunt something blue, white and red, his rational part of mind understood that he was the voice of reason between the two of them in that moment.

"Tony, you know better than to believe in the paparazzi."

"Of course I know, for fuck's sake! I've been dealing with them the moment of my conception!" Tony yelled, slamming a hand against the table. "That's why I'm wondering WHY! Why is the only thing those bastards had ever gotten one hundred percent right has to be THIS!"

Maybe it _**could**_ be.

"Are you telling me that Steve _cheated_ on you?" Rhodey asked disbelievingly.

"Well, at least you put the emphasis in "cheated" and not in the "Steve" and the "you" part," Tony observed forlornly, looking away from Rhodey now. "Clint is an ass." He finished as if that explained his comment. And maybe it did.

"Tony," Rhodey called when the genius didn't seem about to open his mouth or at least look at him anymore. "_Tony._" he insisted.

"I was there when it happened, okay?!" Tony exploded jumping to stand and making the chair fall backwards with a loud crash. "I was fucking there when they were kissing!"

"You were _there_?!" When all the implications that this information presented began to make sense, Rhodey was immediately rethinking about taking serious actions; every dark thought he had had when he'd seen the picture that morning were resurfacing with even more detail. He was going to make Spangles pay, "You saw him kissing another girl with your own eyes? With you in the same room?!" Screw that, he was calling Pepper _**and**_ Happy.

"He didn't know I was there, okay?" Tony clarified, but surely Rhodey was hallucinating because there was no way that Tony's tone was defensive. Of his cheating boyfriend!

Suddenly, Tony was sitting on the next chair and letting his head fall miserably on the table, "I don't know what to do, Rhodey. I don't want to face him until I'm sure I'm in my right fucking mind, you know?" Rhodey opened his mouth to protest, but Tony beat him to it again. "No, screw that! I don't want to face him at all. Ever."

For Tony, that was as close to an "_I don't want to see his cheating ass ever again!_", so naturally, Rhodey wanted to punch him for his subtlety and to shake him until he came to his senses.

"Tony, he's cheating on you," he said it as if Tony was missing that single little detail. "You will never be in your 'right fucking mind' if you don't think that the obvious solution is to send him to hell." when Tony looked as if his wording confused him, he added with annoyance "Break up with him!"

"Hey, don't be like that," Tony tried to say it casually, but Rhodes swore he heard a tremor in his voice.

Steven Rogers, you're as good as dead.

"Tony, he is CHEATING on YOU!" he repeated as if Tony was so stupid that he couldn't grasp the concept.

"Well, yeah, it surely seems that way," Tony nodded towards the newspaper that Rhodey forgot over the microwave, "but I really don't think that Steve is _capable_ of cheating, much less _willing_ to cheat on me. Maybe she forced him?" he asked lamely.

"Listen to yourself, man!" Rhodey said with exasperation, throwing his hands to the air to emphasize. "The man is a super soldier, for fuck's sake!" he paused to calm his nerves a little before continuing, "Tones, you're either being cheated on or you're not. You can't be both, so what_**exactly**_ happened?"

"Okay, okay, calm down; we had a date, at that fucking restaurant," he said pointing at the now shriveled newspaper, "I was working until late, so I told him I'd see him there. Regardless of my best efforts I was 30 minutes late, but considering my record, he probably expected it; I was giving my keys to the Valet Parking and when I looked over our usual table – in the corner and next to the window –, he was there, kissing that… woman. She had her arms around his neck and he had his hands over her hips. I freaked out; I snatched my keys back and decided to drive all night so my head could believe my eyes or whatever." He finished with a thin voice. "Then I came here."

Rhodey left a tense silence settle in the kitchen, only with the intention of giving Tony time to replay what he just explained. Ten seconds later, and the colonel thought it was enough.

"Tony, I don't want to sound crude–"

"But you're going to be crude–"

"You shouldn't be even thinking about dumping his sorry ass–"

"Excuse you! He has a really fine ass–"

"Which I didn't need to know–"

"You already knew; even a blind old lady knows that–"

"And which is so not my point–"

"Then what's your point? You're not making any sense–"

"I give up!" Rhodey said dramatically – something he learned from all the time being friends with Tony –, making a show of going to fetch his phone, "I'm calling Pepper."

"No! You can't do that!" Tony threw himself over the Colonel in a desperate attempt to stop him, making them struggle on the floor for all ten seconds before Rhodey came on top and held him down. "Rhodey, you bastard, do you _want_ Steve dead or something?!"

"Yes, preferably by my hand." Rhodey said dead serious. The honesty in his tone made Tony make a double take and stop his struggle a little.

"Aw, look at that! You _care_!"

Rhodey ignored him in order to snatch the phone once again, stand up using Tony as support and began to dial the numbers completely unwilling to be distracted from his goal. He made it seem like he wasn't even interrupted. "Besides, I'm not willing to do the back and forth jabber you do with her; it's annoying as hell. So shut your trap until she answers me."

"Yes, you're right, I give up! I'm willing to admit I annoy people, so please put the phone down."

Well, that was as close to an apology as he was going to get and there was a "please" there somewhere, so Rhodes complied.

"Fine, but you can't ignore this, Tony." He relented. The finality in the Colonel's voice was enough for Tony to actually consider his words in a contemplative silence.

"I don't want to dump him, Rhodey…" Tony admitted quite lamely from a defeated position on the ground. He seemed unwilling to stand up, as if he lacked the energy or the will to do it. "I don't want to give our relationship some time. I don't want to freaking break up with him."

Rhodey took pity on him and knelt beside him.

"Hey," the military man called with a friendly punch in the shoulder. He was careful to say it with as much of sympathy that he could muster. As much as Rhodey didn't think Rogers was the perfect match for Tony, he didn't want his friend to be miserable. "I know you don't want to, Tones, I really do…"

"But?"

"But you deserve better than that." Rhodes was tempted to follow his sentence with a complete catalogue of despiteful adjectives that could describe the icon, but he knew it wasn't the way to get through to Tony, the genius was loyal; the more he insulted fucking Rogers, the more Tony would stand up for him. He was weird like that.

"You can't be serious," Tony denied while slowly shacking his head. "Steve's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Tony, no matter how awful your self-esteem issues are," Rhodey said reproachful, "a cheater is _**not**_ the best thing that's ever happened to you."

"Hey, I don't even know for sure if he was cheating on me–"

"You saw him yourself!"

"Well, maybe it wasn't him!"

"It's all over the news! There are pictures! Plural!"

"They could be a paparazzi stunt, you know how they–"

"Tony, stop changing the story-"

"I'm not changing anything, I'm just–!"

"You are, and you are in horrible denial."

"Am not! I'm just saying that maybe this whole thing is a misunder–"

"Should I repeat the fact that you saw them _yourself_?!"

"Well, maybe I saw wrong!"

"Gah!" Rhodey yelled in exasperation, "Stop! I told you I wasn't doing your thing with Pepper."

"And you were doing so well," Tony said with mock hurt. "Besides, it doesn't matter, Rhodey, I'll probably end up forgiving him even if he did kiss that woman."

"Tony, are you even listening to yourself?" Rhodey asked disbelievingly along with a dry laugh, "I'm asking because you don't seem to believe your own eyes, so maybe you don't understand what comes out of your mouth."

"Rhodey, I'm not exactly fucking perfect; I can't expect Steve to be perfect either." Tony replied as if that explained everything.

"Well, if you were going to forgive him anyway, why didn't you go straight home to him?" Rhodey asked as if in a last attempt to make Tony reflect on the subject.

"I just needed to clear my mind," Tony answered with newfound confidence, "I thought it would be good to run things by you for once, since you're the last one to get the heads up on things."

"You wish," Rhodey scuffed in answer and a real smile turned his lips. He knew that Tony meant that he came to Rhodes' because he needed his best friend in order to make a decision. It was a shame that the decision included Steven fucking Rogers to be forgiven, but Rhodey was Tony's best friend because he knew to respect the genius' decisions, even if he didn't like them. "Pepper get's to know everything the moment it happens god-knows-how and she tells me, so I'm second to know everything; I probably know things that haven't even happened before you do, man."

"Yes, she is scary like that…" Tony agreed with a shudder, "So let me add that the fact that she includes you in her schemes is so unfair in _**so**_many ways."

That provoked another laugh from Rhodey, same one that died as soon as he saw that the sadness that began all this was still hidden in Tony's eyes.

"You do know that I only want what's best for you, right?" Rhodey held his serious expression while asking this; he didn't want to give Tony the chance to minimize his words with sarcasm, not with this.

A small silence took place as Tony seemed to search for something in Rhodey's eyes. When he seemed satisfied, he let go a long sigh.

"When you're right, you're fucking right, I'll give you that;" he commented while shaking his head in surrender. "I should talk to Steve about it."

"You sure?" Rhodey asked but he made sure that with the tone he used didn't imply any kind of questioning the subject.

"Yeah…" the genius confirmed somberly, "he's tried to call me like fifty times already. Maybe I should give up and call him back."

"Maybe you should take a bath before your meeting," Rhodey suggested with a mock sniff at Tony's disarrayed figure. His friend response was to push him away and give him the finger, only provoking Rhodes to laugh at his antics.

"What do you care how I smell, you jerk?" Tony asked as if offended, "it's not like I sleep with you or anything."

This made Rhodey try to read in between Tony's words and he immediately swallowed what would be his usual response of 'who would like to sleep with a jerk like you, anyway?'. It simply wasn't the time.

"Perhaps the water would help you cool your head for your phone call, man." He said instead. Maybe a miracle would happen and Tony would get his head out of his ass enough to notice that Rogers could act like a real jerk, too. "Besides, Pepper will kill you if you show up smelling like that."

Tony seemed to take his words into consideration because a few seconds later, he sighed and murmured "Yeah, you're right." then he went straight to Rhodey's bathroom without even sparing a glance at the guest's room.

Rhodes didn't even try to nag him. At least it meant he was feeling a little better.

The Lieutenant Colonel tried to resume his reading of the newspaper when not even three minutes later, there was a quick knock at the door.

It didn't take a genius to know who it was, but it took a lot of Rhodes' will and control not to simply grab one of perfectly hidden guns in the apartment and start shooting through the door. He was pretty sure he had a sniper rifle under his bed.

He went to the door and yanked it open, although just enough so that his body stood between the man on the other side and his living room.

"He's not here. Fuck off." He said simply, summoning the most deadly glare he could twist his face into.

"Rhodes, I know he's here" The blonde contradicted while putting his hands up as if saying he didn't intend to fight the colonel. "This is important; I just need a few minutes to talk to him."

"Are you implying that you only need a few minutes to manipulate him?" Rhodey asked. If he were a dragon, he would be spiting acid with his words, "You're the fucking worst, Rogers. He's not here, so _**fuck**_ off." He tried to slam the door in his face, but the cheating bastard's reflexes still were of a super-soldier and kept the door open.

"It's not like that!"

"It never is with unfaithful scum, Captain,"

"No, you don't get to call me that when you know _**nothing**_!"

"Again with the same argument. I know enough, so fuck the hell off before I call my army buddies, Rogers."

"It's not what it looked like! She jumped me and I was shocked to react in time!"

"Don't be absurd; you could've easily pushed her away before the whole world took a picture of your little display. I think you can handle a fucking girl in the strength field."

"She's a dame! How could you even suggest I–!"

"Keep your cheating mouth shut, Rogers, you're making a scandal." The colonel demanded. A second later Rhodey knew he fucked up; the lie was obvious because he owned the whole floor and no one would be able to hear them even if they were screaming bloody murder.

"He _is_ here. Thank god." The blonde seemed to whisper to himself.

The gall of the fucking guy! He even sounded honestly relieved! James now regretted not going for the gun. Damn his self-control.

"You did enough, Rogers, go look for him elsewhere."

"How stupid do you think I am?" The super soldier asked annoyed, finally curling his fingers into fists.

"You wouldn't like that answer, now would you?" Rhodes mocked, unfaced by the angered superhero.

"Step aside, Rhodes, this isn't about you and me."

"If you put one foot in my house, I'll charge you for breaking and entering." Rhodey threatened without giving up a single step. "That would be before I put a bullet in your head."

"You wouldn't," Rogers said completely sure of himself. Rhodey was now more than ready to go for the sniper rifle to prove him wrong. "Tony wouldn't let you."

"Don't presume that I need his permission to do anything, Captain." Rhodes seethed, taking a step out into the hall to get face to face with the super soldier. "Besides, I don't think he would even vouch for you; he's pretty upset."

"The more reason why I should talk to him."

Rogers, the sneaky bastard, seemed to have waited his opportunity to enter the apartment without engaging with physical contact with Rhodes. He simply side stepped him and entered his home with the same grace he dodges a supervillain attack.

Before Rhodey could even get a grasp of what was happening, he heard his room's door lock put in place and his bathroom's door being opened. It even took him a minute to understand _**how**_ Rogers knew in what room to look in, but it was a stupid question considering his enhanced hearing and the shower running were an answer by themselves.

"Fuck." He cursed and shut the front door quietly as he re-entered the apartment. He knew since he first spoke to the soldier that he was determined to speak to Tony came hell and high water and it was just a matter of time before he got to do it, or at least a location in the off chance that Tony really wasn't there. Still, misunderstanding or not, it was Rhodes' job to give him the hardest time he could manage.

He went to the kitchen to grab the key for his room and opened it as quietly as he could. Thankfully the guy did close the bathroom's door.

He went straight for his sniper rifle under his bed while he tried to listen the two arguing. Apparently he missed the beginning of the conversation, since when he finally managed to understand the words behind the wall, he made out:

"You know that the issue is not that I don't fucking trust you, Steve-"

"You obviously don't! I had to sidestep your bodyguard in order to get to _**talk**_ to you, Tony!"

"Hey, don't call him that; he means well."

Rhodes was actually surprised by the defense, it wasn't every day that Tony Stark, eccentric billionaire, made an obvious show of affection against third.

"I know he does, I do, but what did you tell him? That I _cheated_ on you?!"

"I told him the truth, Rogers," Tony was using last names, ouch, it meant he was upset, "that I saw you kissing another woman before I arrived to our date."

"Tony, for the last time, I swear to God! I was shocked and didn't know how to pull back without hurting her."

"Yeah, whatever. It's not like this was going to last or anything."

Oh for everything divine, Rhodes thought, Tony was actually going to break up with Rogers.

"What are you trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say, is that I thought I could do it. I really thought I could, Steve, but I don't think I have it in me to be able to watch you walk away with your American dream, anymore."

"Tony, we can't have this argument over and over again."

"I agree, that's why I need you to lea–"

"I'm not leaving and we are not breaking up either."

"Oh, yeah? And how does that works, Rogers? You may be the perfect golden boy so I'm sorry to tell you this, but a relationship consist in two people, no matter how perfect one of them is, and just the imperfect half of that equation has decided to–"

"You know I hate it when you said stuff like that. Please stop, you are upset because you think one day I'll leave you for some girl. I understand that because that's how I feel every time I catch you flirting with anything, as you often do. Even if it's the darn coffee machine."

"You are not jealous of a–"

"Yes I am. And Tony, I can't even begin to say how sorry I am that you saw what you did, butI know you're sure that it meant nothing to me."

"How can you be so sure of–"

"Because I trust you as you trust me. Because I know you and I know all this drama –yes, shut it, what we are doing is a drama– it's just another excuse for you to bail out because you don't want to end up getting hurt."

"Steve, I just don't think that–"

"You are worth it, Tony. No matter what you say to yourself every time you look in the mirror, you are and always will be worth it to me. _**We**_ are going to get pass through this, even if I understand if you decide to stay mad at me a little bit longer. I swear I'm sorry."

Even Rhodes had to stop looking for his specially developed and manufactured match-grade military ammunition.1

"How can you just–?!"

"Love you this much?"

"Be such a sap! A fucking perfect, huge, muscley, ridiculous, sap?"

"I live with you; all of the above is necessary."

"Hey!"

"Does this mean I can kiss you?"

Oh, gross, Rhodes refused to listen to _**that**_! His role as the perfect best friend had been fulfilled; Steve Rogers' honesty once again beats the colonel's general dislike of him, and Tony is happily making out with him in his shower.

How does his life became this?

Probably the moment he met Tony fucking Stark, that's when.

He wasn't about to accept his fucked up destiny quietly just because of that, of course. He was better than that.

"Rogers! Stark!" Rhodey heard a little crash and a curse courtesy of his best friend as a response and couldn't help to smile a little at the mental image of Tony hitting his head as retribution for giving the colonel the worst day off ever. "Don't you fucking dare! Get the hell out of my house, before I start shooting through the door!"

"Hey, Rhodey, come on, cut me some slack, here, man." Tony's muffled yell could be easily identified as persuasive. It wasn't like James was anywhere near to fall for that, of course; he had heard it an infinity of times before. "Just give us ten minutes and we'll–"

"_Through the door_, Tony." He summoned his most menacing words while emphasizing with the sound of a reading sniper rifle.

"You wouldn't." Tony said but Rhodey could hear the hesitance on his words.

"I would shoot Rogers." He offered simply.

"He would." The super soldier agreed.

"… Yes, he totally would. Okay, fine! We'll go! Just give me a minute to change!"

Agreeing at least to that –not wanting to see Tony butt naked, thank you very much – he clicked the safety back on and went to the living room; it was an area of the apartment that the couple couldn't detour to go through the front door.

Rhodes sat calmly on the couch facing the exit. He put his sniper rifle on the coffee table and began to clean it almost adoringly with the kit he kept in the suitcase of the weapon. Tony had his suits, Rhodey had his guns.

It was exactly two minutes later when the two of them, one barely clothed and the other soaked wet, emerged from the colonel's room in a quick step, heading straight to the door.

Rhodes made a pointed cough in order to startle them so they would turn around and face him. No walk of shame would be made in his apartment without Rhodey enjoying it. Even if Tony looked smug, Rogers appeared quite tense and mortified. Good.

"I hope you had a good time in _**my**_ shower, Tony."

"I sure did, thanks for asking." the genius replied with a smirk firm on his face even if he seemed to have trouble getting his shirt on.

"Tony, I swear to god-!"

"No! I swear we didn't, honey bear! You stopped us right on time." Tony promised with those ridiculous pleading eyes he oftened used with Pepper when he wanted to get out of an important meeting. Judging Rogers' expression, he knew it well, too.

"Just get out so your cheating boyfriend stops getting all my apartment wet." Rhodey said dryly.

It seemed like Rogers was about to try to tackle him to the ground at his comment, but Tony, quick thinker he was, intervened hastily.

"Sorry about that man," he apologized to Rogers' dismay, "won't happen again."

"It surely wont." Rhodey made sure that his eyes were looking directly to the super soldier as he said this. No question in his words. The colonel's threat matching the determination reflected in the blue eyes.

The tense moment passed when Rhodes decided to redirect his gaze to Tony again. "You better call me in the morning, or I'm calling Pepper."

The genius immediately put his hands up in mock surrender, "Please don't tell on me to my mom, dad! I'll be good!"

"Tony-"

"I will, I will!" he promised while turning his back and walking to the door, not before taking his boyfriend's hand and tugging. "Sorry about the mess, man."

In Tony-speak that meant: _"Rhodey, I'm sorry to had bothered you with this crap, everything's fine know so you don't have to worry. You're great, never change."_ Maybe not the last part, but the colonel knew Tony appreciate him in his own weird way.

"Don't forget your important meeting, man!" James shouted uselessly at Tony's back.

"Rhodes." Rogers nodded in his direction, clearly still upset for his comment about his cheating.

"Rogers." he answered back, but instead of a nod, the colonel cocked his now loaded and shiny sniper rifle again.

Rogers glared at him with defiance while going after Tony who was shouting after him. The blonde crossed the door and closed it behind him, finally interrupting their death-staring contest.

Rhodey sighed heavily for what felt like the millionth time that morning. At least he knew that all the trouble Tony caused would be paid by the fury that Pepper was going to put upon the genius when he didn't show up to the meeting.

Karma was a fair bitch.

Rhodey, _deep_ inside his head, knew that Rogers wanted what was best for Tony, he really did, but mistakes were going to be made by both sides and Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes was there to make sure that the super soldier was properly harassed, even if it was just for a few months, so he would never take Tony for granted.

Even if it was already true.

* * *

**1**** This I took from wikipedia because I honestly now next to nothing about firearms! I could talk all day about swords and daggers, but really, I don't like guns. Sorry Rhodey!**

**Well, it's done. I haven't chequed for grammar and vocabulary mistakes, so I'll probably do that this week. I was going to do it before I posted it, but I'm going out of town and I wanted to publish this before I forgot about it.**

**I really hope you liked it! Thank you for reading this far. Remmember that all kinds of constructive criticism are welcome!**

**See you soon!**

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